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A ministry of the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP Ministry) A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Christian Ministry. www.capalert.com/ Entertainment Media Analysis Report A service to His little ones through you in His name by His Word MAR27033  (2007), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] (1hr 29min) The #1 Christian entertainment media analysis service on the Internet. We give you OBJECTIVE tools NO ONE ELSE CAN to help YOU make an informed decision for yourself whether a film is fit for your family. Over 1100 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
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(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): Revolution Studios, Saturn Films, Eyetronics USA, Initial Entertainment Group (IEG), Virtual Studios Distribution (US): Paramount Pictures Director(s): Lee Tamahori Producer(s): Nicolas Cage, Todd Garner, Gary Goldman, Norman Golightly, Debra James, Graham King, Jason Koornick, Arne Schmidt, Ben Waisbren Screenplay: Gary Goldman, Jonathan Hensleigh, Paul Bernbaum Screen Story: Gary Goldman Novel: (The Golden Man) Phillip K. Dick Cinematography/Camera: David Tattersall Music: Mark Isham Film Editing: Christian Wagner Casting: Denise Chamian Production Design: William Sandell Art Direction: Kevin Ishioka Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6 The R-13 Next is two months old now, has played out and is no longer playing at theaters. It is headed for the video shelves. Then comes our analysis report. I viewed it for data collection so I am going to post the report. Someday God will send us the funding necessary to get our analyses to you before they become as useful as last month's newspaper. R-rated films in the comparative baseline database of films earned final scores of 54 and below out of 100. With a final score of 21, Next is a very hardcore R-13. Fifteen murders. Three defensive killings. Kidnapping. A man and a woman snuggling nude in bed -- twice. Seventeen uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary. God's name in vain 11 times, including once with the four letter expletive. And more. Much more. R-equivalent entertainment for your 13 year olds. So sayeth the MPAA. What say you? In spite of God's Word that defeats the whole idea of knowing the future [Eccl. 7:14, 8:7], Next is a story of Cris Johnson (Nicolas Cage) who can see 2 minutes into his future. The film's tagline is "If you can see the future, you can save it." While Cris can see only two minutes into his future, he can see further into the future of a woman named Liz (Jessica Biel). Cris tries to track her down to find out why he is having visions into her future. In the meantime, terrorists led by Mr. Smith (Thomas Kretschmann) are planning to detonate a 10 megaton nuclear bomb in Los Angeles. FBI Agent Callie Ferris (Julianne More) is aware of Cris' ability and is bound to recruit him to help thwart Smith's plans. Cris's ability to see even two minutes into his future would be an extraordinary help to the FBI. Never mind that Cris has to put himself in harm's way to do so. As the story unfolds we see Cris demonstrate his ability to see into the future at a casino. Cris' "spider sense" tells him a crime is about to be committed by seeing it before it happens. Knowing who will do it, how it will be done, where and when, Cris stages himself to topple the crime and is almost accused of the crime himself. In another case, Cris saw a sniper kill him. When the time came, Cris simply moved a few inches in time to let the bullet fly by. Such power might seem to make Cris invulnerable. But not so. Cris ends up using his skill to prevent crimes on key figures, Liz being one of them. The terrorists wrapped her with explosives to divert the police. But after a vision of the explosives blowing Liz to bits Cris rescued her before the explosives detonated. As the police and Cris did battle with the terrorists, Cris was able to simply tell police where to go to avoid being shot ... and where not to go. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) This is an intensely violent film. Murders and killings aplenty. To narrate even most of what was found would make this section much too long. Please look to the listing in the Findings/Scoring section. [Rev. 21:8] We just recently received another vulgar email from a teen who asked "Do you honestly think the sight of murder will drive a viewer to commit murder him/herself?" Uh, yes. Not every time and not with everyone to be sure, but it happens. Not everyone who sees a commercially advertised item buys one, but some do. And I am not the only one who knows that. The American Medical Association thinks it possible that seeing violence in and as entertainment emboldens the viewer. The American Psychological Association thinks so, too. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry as well. (See Joint Statement ... for more information.) And God warned us of it a l-o-n-g time ago [1 Cor. 15:33], but do we listen? Impudence/Hate (I) Seventeen uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary as if foul words are conversational snippets might easily convince your young teen or older preteen that such language is indeed expected, acceptable and normal regardless of what God thinks of it. [Col.3:8] If not, it will surely embolden their innate tendency to side with rebellion against authority by defying authority with potty talk. And when that happens those who speak that which negatively shapes the morals of the young heart are subject to Luke 17:2. And every child has a guardian angel who reports directly to God. [Matt. 18:10] What do you want your child(ren)'s guardian angel to say to God? I didn't write the rules. folks. I don't decide what is and is not sin. Sexual Immorality (S) With scenes of mannerisms of a nude (unseen) couple typical of intercourse, there is no reason to hope this R-13 film might not really be as "R" as those labeled "R." Adding to the demonstrations of sexually immoral behaviors are dressing to maximize the female form and/or skin exposure, excessive breast exposure and the use of women as toys/ornaments. This film is another fine example of Ps. 12:8. And other of God's verses against sexual immorality. Many others. Such as Eccl. 8:11. And Rev. 21:8. And ... Drugs/Alcohol (D) The PG-13 crowd are typically the middle school age stratum and younger, the most morally vulnerable age stratum. This film is filled with that which endangers them. Not only with violence, potty language and sexually immoral behaviors but with drinking and drunkenness. The American College of Physicians (ACP) has found that exposure to booze and drinking in and as entertainment emboldens in particular the middle school age stratum: the PG-13 age stratum. Though the ACP study used R-rated films since it was believed R-rated films contained the most drinking, the focus is on the influence of exposure to alcohol in and as entertainment regardless of the film rating. Besides, the ACP researchers were not aware of R-13 which defeats the assumption that R-rated films present the most drinking and drunkenness. A finding by Harvard University agreed with the CAP R-13 finding, four years after our finding. As a sidebar note, consider this, too. The MPAA is apparently going to consider all films with smoking in them as R-rated, clearly announcing without trying that smoking in and as entertainment is indeed a negative influence. If so, why not make R-rated any films which present booze and/or drinking and/or drunkenness? [Eph. 5:18] We incorporated smoking into a film's scoring distribution long before the MPAA. Even other film rating websites have plagiarized our methodology. Might that imply others are following our lead? Within the ACP study population of 4544 middle school students (90% were under fourteen years old), the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was Rather revealing of the influences of the entertainment industry wouldn't you say? And emboldening children to sin with drink in and as entertainment screams of violating Luke 17:2. I can add to the ACP study that reveals films which present drinking and drunkenness contribute to underage substance abuse. I submit that it is not so much the presence of alcohol in films or the rating of the film(s) that embolden youth to abuse it, but is rather the attitude portrayed: the attitude of freedom from authority, freedom from accountability and freedom from consequences. PG-13 and R-rated films, sometimes lesser rated films, are typically heavy with attitude. Our report on this, ATTITUDE: In Perspective -- Investigation Area Scoring and Trend in CAP Entertainment Industry Investigations, Special Report-001 may provide more understanding of the point. Offense to God (O) This film includes one use of God's name in vain with the four letter expletive and 10 without [Deut. 5:11]. In addition, it glamorizes seeing into the future making it seem as though God's Word about it is meaningless. The film also makes the criminal the victim. Murder/Suicide (M) Fifteen murders. And it is rated PG-13. Gunfire murder. Repeatedly. Plus a knife murder. What a fine example to set for our middle school crowd. [1 Cor. 15:33] SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S) If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ] or bold. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source. If you use the Blue Letter Bible, a new window will open. Close it to return here or use "Window" in your browser's menu bar to alternate between the CAP page and the Blue Letter Bible page. CHAPTER/VERSE ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry*** As always, it is best to refer to the Findings/Scoring section -- the heart of the CAP analysis model -- for the most complete assessment possible of this movie. |
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 Wanton Violence/Crime (W) Impudence/Hate (I) Sexual Immorality (S) Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O) Murder/Suicide (M) |
| There are some in the entertainment industry who maintain that 1) violent programming is harmless because no studies exist that prove a connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children, and 2) young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy. Unfortunately, they are wrong on both accounts." And "Viewing violence may lead to real life violence." I applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our years of study, I contend that other aberrant behaviors, attitudes, and expressions can be inserted in place of "violence" in that statement. Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist concurs. For example, "Viewing arrogance against fair authority may lead to your kids defying you in real life." Or "Viewing sex may lead to sex in real life." Likewise and especially with impudence, hate and foul language. I further contend that any positive behavior can be inserted in place of "violence" with the same chance or likelihood of being a behavior template for the observer; of being incorporated into the behavior mechanics and/or coping skills of the observer. In choosing your entertainment, please consider carefully the "rest of the story" and our findings. |
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